William J. Bell (March 6, 1927 – April 29, 2005) was the creator and executive producer of the soap operas The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.
He was married to former talk show host Lee Phillip Bell, who co-created Y&R; and B&B; with him. Their three children, Bill Jr., Bradley, and Lauralee, and daughter-in-law Maria Arena Bell are all involved in their parents' soaps in some capacity.
On April 29, 2005, Bell died from co...
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William J. Bell (March 6, 1927 – April 29, 2005) was the creator and executive producer of the soap operas The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.
He was married to former talk show host Lee Phillip Bell, who co-created Y&R; and B&B; with him. Their three children, Bill Jr., Bradley, and Lauralee, and daughter-in-law Maria Arena Bell are all involved in their parents' soaps in some capacity.
On April 29, 2005, Bell died from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
He started out as a comedy writer at WBBM-TV in Chicago, and one day he made a call to Irna Phillips' secretary Rose Cooperman asking her "Does Irna have an opening?" Rose said Irna did have an opening. By the time he got there it turned out the guy who was leaving decided to stay. About two years later William J. Bell was in advertising business and he ran into Irna's niece. She mentioned him to Irna and Ms. Phillips remembered who he...
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